public sculpture open call
Quad City Arts invites established and emerging sculptors across the United States to submit work for our annual rotating Public Sculpture Program. Six pieces per artist may be submitted, and works previously exhibited are welcome to be resubmitted. Quad City Arts facilitates the Public Sculpture Program in collaboration with several regional municipalities, and sculptures are chosen by up to eight selection committees annually. The 2025-26 program placed 34 sculptures in the cities of Moline and Rock Island, Illinois and Bettendorf, Clinton, Davenport, and DeWitt, Iowa.
- Important Dates
Installation of Sculptures: June 1-19, 2026
Exhibition Closes /Removal of sculptures begins: May 31, 2027
Guidelines
The presenters of the competition will choose the site for selected sculptures.
Artists are responsible for all costs, equipment, transportation, and labor necessary for the safe installation and removal of sculptures. A boom truck and electricity are available upon request and pre-approval of Quad City Arts at no additional cost to the artist. Installation will be supervised by representatives from Quad City Arts and the host city or site.
Installed sculptures will remain in place for the duration of the exhibit. If the work is not sold, artists will be required to pick up their sculptures promptly after the end of the exhibition period. The pick-up dates in 2027 will begin May 31.
The presenters and facilitator, in the interest of public safety, have the right to remove any damaged sculpture in the absence of prompt and satisfactory repair by the artist.
Photos of the works may be used by the presenters or facilitator for marketing and promotional materials.
The presenters and facilitator are not liable for any claim, loss, theft or damage of any kind during transportation. Once installed, the presenters will maintain property damage insurance on the sculpture.
A 20% commission is retained from the advertised price on sculptures sold as a result of the exhibit. Payments to artists for pieces sold will be made after the closing of the exhibit.